Canon Pixma MG4270, MG2270 & MP237

Canon Pixma MG4270, MG2270 & MP237 Color Inkjet AIO Photo Printers

The Pixma MG4270 and MG2270 aren't just color inkjet printers; they double up as a scanner and copier too. The biggest difference between the two is the MG4270 comes with additional Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity; the MG2270 is USB 2.0 only. Thus, features like Pixma Cloud Link, Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, and wireless printing from iOS and Android devices using Canon's free Easy-PhotoPrint app can be found on the former, but not the latter.

Other than that, both printers sport similar capabilities: a 4-color ink system (using a mixture of dye and pigment inks), up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi photo print resolution, a 2-picoliter smallest ink droplet size, and a 100-sheet plain paper input tray. They also come with the new My Image Garden software for easy photo management using a face recognition function, and supports the Print Your Days Facebook app that lets you to curate and print your Facebook photos. Fun filters (with effects like Fish Eye, Miniature, Toy camera, Soft Focus, Blur Background) and Full HD Movie Print that we first saw on last year's offerings also remained. Another useful feature worth pointing out is Auto Photo Fix II. Simply put, it analyzes and categorizes scenes in your photos, and then optimizes them.

That said, the MG4270 does print faster (9.9ipm for B&W and 5.7ipm for color vs. MG2270's 8.4ipm for B&W and 4.8ipm for color), copy faster (4.3ipm vs. 2.5ipm), supports two-sided copy, comes with memory slots, and has a nicer-looking 2.5-inch color LCD control panel. In a nutshell, if you're shopping for a simple AIO for personal use, and can do without the networking and wireless features, the MG2270 is something worth considering.

If you're looking for something even more affordable, and photo printing isn't a priority, then there's the USB 2.0-only Pixma MP237. This is also an AIO device that prints, copies, and scans. And like the MG4270 and MG2270, it features My Image Garden and Print Your Days creative software. Print speeds are rated at 7.0ipm for B&W and 4.8ipm for color, with a maximum print resolution of 4,800 x 1,200 dpi. Besides a slightly lower-resolution scanner (600 x 1,200 dpi vs. 1,200 x 2,400 dpi for the other two), it also lacks features like borderless printing, support for specialty media, and an operation panel.

The Pixma MG4270, MG2270, and MP237 are priced at S$169, S$119, and S$79 respectively, and they too would be in stores from end October, 2012.